Rail anchor



R. J. McCOMB RAIL ANCHOR Dec. 13, 1949 Filed NOV. 10, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 13, 1949 N'ITED RAIL ANCHOR Richard J. McComb, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 10, 1948, Serial No. 59,379

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a one-piece resilient rail anchor having a loop or jaw at one end and a notch or the like at the other to receive the opposite sides of the rail base, and adapted to be sprung into place by a sort of rotative movement with the hook and notch engaging the sides of the rail base. (Railway Engineering 8; Maintenance Cyclopedia, 1945, p. 334.)

The principal object of the invention is to prevent the binding engagement of the hook with the rail base, as heretofore experienced, and to make the application easy and quick with comparatively small power.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a length of railroad rail with the anchor in place thereon;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the inside of the hook of the anchor shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a rail showing the improved anchor in position preparatory to being sprung onto a rail;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the anchor in a position through which it moves during application;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the anchor applied; and

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the rail, the anchor, and tool at the beginning of the rotative movement by which the anchor is applied to the rail.

The anchor is made from a rectangular bar of metal that is bent into the shape shown. It includes a resilient bow or loop III with its ends merging into bends II and 12 forming seating portions I3 and hi to bear against the base of a rail adjacent to its lower edge substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The bend I2 forming the seating portion I4 merges into a downwardly and outwardly inclined portion I5, which merges into a hook or jaw I6 having an upper substantially straight wall or arm I8 adapted to rest on the upper face of the rail base, as shown in Fig. 3, while in the preliminary position, and to bear on the corner of the rail base, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, after being applied.

It will appear from Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5 that the hook or jaw I6 is wide enough to receive the side of the rail base with clearance appropriate to the movements indicated.

The bight of the hook or jaw I5 is provided with a fulcrum 29 for contact with the side edge of the rail base during application of the anchor, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 6.

The fulcrum 20 prevents the anchor, and par- 2 ticularly the hook I6, from moving to the right (Fig. 3) far enough to let the upper corner 22 of the rail base bind against the adjacent wall of the hook when the anchor is rotated counter clockwise (by a tool indicated in Fig. 6) to spread the anchor and spring it into place on the rail.

Also, by contact with the side edge 2I of the rail base, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the fulcrum 28 forms a bearing for the anchor to rotate on from the position shown in Fig. 3 through and beyond the position shown in Fig. 4 until it springs into the position shown in Fig. 5.

The seating portion I l and the inclined portion I5 are both spaced from the bottom of the rail base (see Figs. 3 and 4) until the anchor snaps into the position shown in Fig. 5. During application, there is no part of the anchor beneath the rail in position to jam any portion of the hook it against the corner or corners of the rail base. Hence, application becomes a simple rotation about the fulcrum to spring the anchor open and let it snap onto the rail.

The fulcrum 2c is illustrated in the form of a bead extending across the bight of the hook I5, but that should be considered diagrammatic, for a short bead or projection at about the middle of the hook will serve the purpose, and the form of the fulcrum will be governed somewhat by expediency in making the anchor with dies.

The bend II forming the seating portion I3 is shown merging into a reverse bend forming a hook 21, the end of which merges into a cam arm 28, which cooperates with the edge 29 of the rail base to spread the anchor as it is moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 toward and through the position shown in Fig. 4. But that portion of the anchor shown is old and optional.

I claim:

1. A one-piece resilient rail anchor including a resilient bow or loop with its ends merging into bends forming seating portions to bear against the base of a rail, one of said seating portions merging into a downwardly and outwardly inclined portion which merges into a hook to receive the corresponding side of the rail base, the opening of said hook being normally substantially wider than the thickness of the edge of said rail base, and having a convex fulcrum surface in the bight of the hook to engage the side edge of the rail base and form a bearing for the anchor during application, the other side of the anchor including means to bear against the opposite side of the rail and spring the bow or loop open as the anchor is rocked on the fulcrum surface.

2. A one-piece resilient rail anchor adapted to 4 extend under a rail base with the opposite ends directed upwardly, one end having a hook to re- REFERENCES CITED ceive one side of the rail base, a convex fulcrum The following references are of record in the surface in the bight of the hook to engage the side e o this P edge of the rail base for rolling contact therewith, 5 the other side of the anchor including means to UNITED STATES PATENTS bear against the opposite side of the rail and Number ame Date spring the anchor open as it is rotated about the 1,691,019 p e 1923 fulcrum. 2,438,085 Woodings et a1. Mar. 16, 1948 RICHARD J. McCOlVIB. 10 

